Bulgaria Bus Attack

The attack against Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria – six killed and 36 injured – was the worst suicide bomb attack in the European Union since the London transport bombings of July 2005.

Commentator Tom Gross notes the weak coverage of the tragedy by the Western media.

• AFP, the leading French news agency, downplayed the terrorists' intention by scare-quoting the word "attack" in its headline: "Three Dead in 'Attack' on Israelis at Bulgaria Airport."

• BBC News described the bombing as an "awful accident" (long after it was clear to all that this was a bomb attack, not an accident).

• Never to be outdone, the New York Times reported how "bellicose adversaries, Israel and Iran, have a long history of accusing each other of terrorist attacks." Apparently the Times regards the deliberate murder of Israelis on vacation, with the elimination of an Iranian scientist working to produce a nuclear bomb for an Iranian regime that has threatened to wipe Israel off the map.

Journalists have long tried to minimize Arab terror by taking the focus off the Israeli victims. Associated Press noted that "357 bystanders have been killed" by Palestinian suicide bombings (Jason Keyser, "Suicide Bombing on Jerusalem Bus, Seven Killed"), and the New York Times wrote that "a barrage of four Palestinian attacks killed nine bystanders" (James Bennet, "Israel Pulls Back From Peace Plan After 4 Attacks"). In common usage, a "bystander" is peripheral to the central event – e.g. a bystander injured in a bank robbery. By describing Israeli terror victims as "bystanders," the media obscures the basic fact that Israeli civilians are the intentional target of these bombers.

Meanwhile, Israel endures another round of funerals, mourning and rehabilitation.

About this Blog

Shraga's Blog presents an eclectic mix of insights on current topics through the lens of Torah Judaism.
The author, Rabbi Shraga Simmons, holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and
rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He is the senior editor of Aish.com and the director
of JewishPathways.com. He was the founding editor of HonestReporting.com and is the author of a new book,
David & Goliath: The Explosive Inside Story of Media Bias in
the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2012).